This application claims benefit of Ser. No. 102018000003295, filed 6 Mar. 2018 in Italy and which application is incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to the above disclosed application.
The present invention relates to a handling device for containers provided with clamps for opening on command.
The automation of industrial packaging processes such as for example, stretch-molding, capping or labeling bottles made of thermoplastic material, occurs by work stations, for example carousels, which operate in series. The carousels are rotating work stations on which the various sub-operations adapted to generate the end product are carried out on the semi-finished product.
The transfer of the semi-finished product from one work station to the next, for example from one carousel to the next, occurs by transport systems, e.g. distribution stars. The distribution stars are also rotating machines which rotate in synchrony with the carousel to which they are coupled.
In general, the distribution stars are provided with a plurality of handling devices including clamps, which grip the container from one carousel or from another distribution star and, while rotating, transfer it to a successive distribution star or to a carousel on which the successive production process takes place.
The clamps, arranged on the periphery of the handling device, extend away from the handling device, sliding on a cam profile so as to approach the container to be gripped or the operating unit to which the container is to be released. When the clamp is close to the gripping or release point, the clamp jaws open to receive or release the container, to then close again.
The handling devices of the known art are provided with clamps which generally are divided in two categories: clamps for no command opening (or passive clamps) and clamps for opening on command (or active clamps).
The jaws in clamps for not opening on command are kept in closed position by an elastic means and are opened by the interference between the profile of the jaws and the profile of the container to be gripped. The contact and the sliding between these two profiles generates the opening of the jaws, while the closing thereof around the gripped semi-finished product occurs due to said elastic return means.
The jaws in clamps for opening on command instead are opened by a cam gear which transfers the opening movement to the jaws.
The handling devices for containers of the known art still have drawbacks. Since the opening and closing of the jaws occurs by interference in the handling devices provided with clamps for no command opening, it is essential for the jaws to be pushed (and therefore pressed) against the profile of the container to be gripped, which may cause an undesired movement of the container and therefore a malfunctioning of the handling device.
With regards to the handling devices provided with clamps for opening on command of the known art, they provide a gear for opening the jaws which, given the speed with which the container is handled, is to be highly calibrated, and therefore is characterized by significant costs and complexities.